TY - JOUR U1 - Zeitschriftenartikel, wissenschaftlich - begutachtet (reviewed) A1 - Lunescu, Ilaria A1 - Münch, Jürgen A1 - Marchesi, Michele A1 - Kuhrmann, Marco T1 - Using simulation for understanding and reproducing distributed software development processes in the cloud JF - Information and software technology N2 - Context: Organizations increasingly develop software in a distributed manner. The cloud provides an environment to create and maintain software-based products and services. Currently, it is unknown which software processes are suited for cloud-based development and what their effects in specific contexts are. Objective: We aim at better understanding the software process applied to distributed software development using the cloud as development environment. We further aim at providing an instrument which helps project managers comparing different solution approaches and to adapt team processes to improve future project activities and outcomes. Method: We provide a simulation model which helps analyzing different project parameters and their impact on projects performed in the cloud. To evaluate the simulation model, we conduct different analyses using a Scrumban process and data from a project executed in Finland and Spain. An extra adaptation of the simulation model for Scrum and Kanban was used to evaluate the suitability of the simulation model to cover further process models. Results: A comparison of the real project data with the results obtaind from the different simulation runs shows the simulation producing results close to the real data, and we could successfully replicate a distributed software project. Furthermore, we could show that the simulation model is suitable to address further process models. Conclusion: The simulator helps reproducing activities, developers, and events in the project, and it helps analyzing potential tradeoffs, e.g., regarding throughput, total time, project size, team size and work-in-progress limits. Furthermore, the simulation model supports project managers selecting the most suitable planning alternative thus supporting decision-making processes. KW - Scrum KW - Kanban KW - process simulation KW - comparison Y1 - 2018 SN - 0950-5849 SS - 0950-5849 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2018.07.004 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2018.07.004 VL - 103 SP - 226 EP - 238 S1 - 13 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER -